Channel 3 Consulting, which helps health and care organisations to use technology, has recruited Andy Haywood.

Haywood was previously a board member and chief information officer at the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust (WAST), responsible for the delivery of digitally enabled services to over three million people, including the introduction of a new electronic patient record, the rollout of personal tablets to paramedics, delivery of a new 111 website and improvements to 999, emergency medical and patient transport services.

John Howard, chief executive at Channel 3, said: “Andy knows better than most the day-to-day challenges that face anyone trying to implement digital change. He also knows, and can articulate, the huge opportunities and benefits to be gained. We are confident that the insights he brings will enable us to speak with even greater empathy and understanding when we are supporting our health and care clients to do make better use of technology to do great things for their patients, service users and staff.”

Haywood commented: “I am passionate about delivering meaningful change through technology and am genuinely thrilled to join Channel 3 at a time when the need to digitalise the health and care sector has never been greater. We made huge leaps forward during the pandemic but the crisis is still here. We need to accelerate the rate of change, rather than return to the norms of 2019 and before.

“Ambulance Services and Emergency Departments are beyond capacity and hospitals are unable to discharge into the community due to challenges in community and social care.

“The NHS workforce is formed of an incredible group of individuals and we need to harness the power of technology and information to empower them to be the best they can be and reduce unnecessary burden in the process. Likewise, technology gives patients the opportunity to own their own care like never before.

“There are so many opportunities, it can be difficult for an organisation to know where to start, which is why consultancies like Channel 3 are invaluable. By providing impartial and practical advice based on many years’ experience, we are able to help organisations select and implement the most appropriate digital solutions for their particular needs.

“When I joined WAST, patient data was recorded on paper and crews had to return to base to queue for a desktop to access anything digital. After just a couple of years, staff were able to access electronic patient records and work from anywhere with new devices and a full suite of services. I’m genuinely excited about now being able to help multiple organisations and CIOs on their own transformation journeys.”